Page 45 - 2018 Powerlist
P. 45

Arts, Fashion & Design













































                  white, a multicultural, diverse, inclusive                      And we are publishing The Book of        Arts, Fashion & Design
                  outlook.                                                        Harlan by African-American writer
                                                                                  Bernice McFadden – her debut novel,
                  And you resist describing Jacaranda as                          Sugar, was published by Penguin but
                  a black publishing house…          I’m very proud               we have the UK rights to this. We also
                  That’s the heart of the challenge. I’m                          have the UK rights to Tram 83, by Fiston
                  very proud to be an example of black   to be an example         Mwanza Mujila, which was longlisted for
                  excellence, two black women from        of black                the Man Booker International.
                  Hackney and Kilburn [Valerie and
                  Jacaranda publicity manager Jazzmine   excellence               If you had to pick one book to sum up
                  Breary] running this publishing                                 Jacaranda, what would it be?
                  company, self-funded. The other side                            Oh, wow, what’s a Jacaranda book?
                  is I remember being at London Book   parents, is one of the highlights of what   Possibly From Pasta to Pigfoot, a
                  Fair and one woman said, “you’re that   we’ve managed to achieve but the story   Ghanaian romance, which has the
                  niche publisher” and I thought, “I’m   can’t end there.         black experience that’s not the typical
                  going to be put in this box”. It’s a weird                      urban one – a character growing up in
                  schizophrenic place to be. We are   You mention Rest in Power, which you   Hampstead, her father a lawyer, who
                  properly proud of our black authors but   won the UK rights to publish. Are there   falls for a militant black guy who says
                  at the same time we want to be able to   any other big highlights?  she’s not black enough for him. So
                  say, “you can no more describe us as a   One author I’m supremely proud of is   she goes to Ghana, falls in love... It’s a
                  black publisher as Penguin as a white   Irenosen Okojie, who won a Betty Trask   multicultural, multi-ethnic book, high-
                  publisher”. You know, Rest in Power,   Award with her debut novel Butterfly   quality, classy writing. That sums up
                  the Trayvon Martin story written by his   Fish. She’s a raw, superb young talent.   what we’re about.



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